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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: dip · toast · date · hand · calf · perch · chair · rash

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. perch — the fish
  4. hand — in cards
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. chair — a leader
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. date — the fruit
  13. hand — help
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rash — a series
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. toast — bread

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com